Gotham's Girl
by DismemberedDreams
Summary: A child, born into the crime of Gotham has to fight everyday for her life; against the police, the criminals, and, more importantly the Batman. Rated M for sexual themes in  later chapters.
1. Requiem For Happy Days

_**Chapter 1: Requiem For Happy Days**_

_**Music: Like A Dog Chasing Cars - Hans Zimmer And James Newton Howard**_

"Sprinting. Scrambling. Speeding.

Hopeless. Faithless. Pointless.

_'Badump,Badump, Badump, Badump'_

My heart was pounding, pulsing; ready to break free from the skeleton that protected it, ready to completely burst, taking my person with it; beckoning more oxygen, which, unfortunately, the lungs could not give, there was not enough time.

My legs were aching, hurting, covered in dirt and debris from the slums, but they seemed to work just fine where dashing was concerned though, fueled by fear; my undying fear.

_'BADUMP! Badump, Badump, Badump'_

Racing through the small alleyways, where villagers brushed their children to the side, in fear that, well, quite logically so, that I would end up trampling them.

Everything just occurred to me as a blur, the crates piled atop one another along the old-indigo brick walls, neon green graffiti strewn along the sides, the elderly homeless folk complaining on how the youthful were such 'ruffians' and 'complete maniacs' I hated giving my age group a bad name, but I had no choice, what does pride matter if your dead?

All of these thoughts were processing in my mind, why was this time so different from the others?

How come this crime I committed drawn so much attention?

Why did act so...un-stealthy...clumsy...most importantly, idiotic?

_'BADUMP! BADUMP! Badump, Badump'_

I could still hear his gigantic, faux leather, steel-capped shoe slapping against the mud as he bounded across the sticky, thick, poor excuse of a road, that squelched every time his heel made contact with the earth.

I couldn't see him, apart from the brief few moments that I swung my head round to look at the fellow; but I was too focused on escaping this monster of a man.

He had a gigantic, heavy jawline, giving him the jowl's of a bulldog, quite comically so.

The beast's teeth were like tombstones that protruded from both his bottom and top lip, somewhat like what a vampire would look like if said vampire was hit in the face a few dozen times with a saucepan.

You could easily tell that his hat was something from a pawn shop or something, it was tattered and torn, of no use to anyone; I'm sure that anyone and everyone will recognize something from a second-hand shop, especially if it was clothes wear.

As for the rest of his outfit, I wasn't quite sure, he was soaked from the neck to toe in the dirt.

I still continue to think that he wasn't aware of how stupid he looked, his formerly sparkling white shirt would slap against his skin every time they made contact, he was just that covered in mud; if this man had any dignity before, he sure doesn't have any now.

_'BADUMP! BADUMP! BADUMP! Badump'_

Turning my attention from the raging bear-like man behind me, I ran in all directions to keep him off my tail, left, right, up, down; even if it did mean hiding in a skip, it would be a God send.

Much to my misfortune, it did not happen, I looked past every trash-can, every skip, every store; but me running at full-speed into a convenient store would only attract more suspicion.

I ran and ran and ran, for what must have been about five minutes felt like five years, I just wanted to sleep!

But my legs weren't willing to give way yet, much in contrast to both my willpower and my lungs.

I was heaving, panting like a rabid hound, voice raspy with the quick inhales and exhales of minute breaths of air.

_'BADUMP! BADUMP! BADUMP! BADUMP!'_

I could have sworn I was seeing naught but darkness, I could have sworn I had blacked-out, I could have sworn...

I could have sworn I was a dead.

The only thing that kept me sure of my consciousness was the staggering pain that both my heart and lungs were forced to endure, I wasn't athletically fit at all, I was fit enough to get by, but not for this.

Myth says that when you're body is pushed to it's limits, or is in danger, it can do miraculous things.

I guess I was kind of experiencing one of those moments.

I kept urging my muscles to keep going, pushing my body so hard that my headaches were becoming more painful with every second that ticked by.

I looked into my palm, the object which I stole from him in the first place; even I myself wasn't sure of what it was, it just appeared to be a normal fruit to me, but when I took the deep mahogany color into account, the sharp points that occurred on it's circumference every so often and the bright, lush green stalk, it must have came from a foreign country; but then taking into account how mad the merchant seemed, it must have cost quite a generous amount for him to obtain.

Then again, it seemed tha-

_'THUMP'_

Walls...Something you forget to look out for eventually.

_'...Badump...Badump...-'_

Exhausted, Weary, Lifeless.

To be quite frank with you, I wasn't completely sure whether I was dead or alive, all I could smell was that of the earth, nauseatingly strong yet refreshing at the same time.

My body felt like doing nothing but lay there idly, waiting until someone came along with a shallow phrase...something like "Get that damn corpse of the street!", "Walk around it! You might catch some sort of disease! It must be rotten with it!" or even "CAN I POKE IT?"

None of the nobles would refer to us as a gender, just 'it', 'thing', we were naught but a number to them, not even that in fact, we were mere objects, insects, those we lived on the underbelly of the world.

"We'll just hide them down here and hope no one looks!", good luck with that, sir; even though I'm still young, at the age of thirteen...

These men that were well into their forties acted like mere infants...

It was the sort of act where children were told to clean their room, but brushed everything under the rug, hoping mommy wouldn't look.

Unfortunately, these tricks work for the most part. I just pray for the day this city takes a good look at itself to come soon.

Anyway, back to the main. I was laying there, lifeless like a dead body, a corpse.

I was lain there for hours upon hours, my legs were scarred and bruised from the hunt yesterday, pieces of rusted, jagged barbed wire stuck into my leg like knife through butter.

As for my organs, they weren't consent to working as the time was, perhaps it was just because I was face-first on the floor, but more than likely because I pushed myself too hard, I was too afraid, I was ignorant to what my body needed, to be blunt, I was vain.

My arms were drenched in a pool of scarlet liquid, rags completely saturated and dripping, it was already attracting some curious sewer rats, that bobbed their heads up and down occasionally out of the sewer.

Slowly, but surely, I slid a hand beneath me, giving me something to support my useless, weak torso on.

I had to be careful with how I moved, I wasn't sure how capable I was of moving inches, let alone run back to the little place I called home.

I gradually placed my other arm beneath me, giving me more support, which I would require to actually get up.

I was then in a sort of, press-up stance, even though my legs were reluctant, I managed to get myself up and standing, using the walls to help, albeit.

My arms hurt so much, I could remember the day prior, I had to keep swinging them back and forth to gain a faster pace...every time I thought about scraping the tender skin on my upper arm along the brick walls, I clutched the muscle tightly; not that this would do me much good, if not at all, but it would at least give me the re-assurance that it's safe, in my grasp.

I crossed all the old streets, the weary, old women who shuddered in case I harmed them or mugged them, the thugs who had escaped Arkham, then finally the minute metal-gate which opened into the ventilation system...otherwise the only way to find my home for the time being"

The petite, black-headed girl had finished her story, and, despite the jagged scar running from the top of her forehead to the bottom of her chin and her disturbing story, she smiled happily.

-*-

Phew, end of Chapter one! :3 Tell me what you guy's think! XD


	2. The Peculiar Child

_**C****hapter 2: The Peculiar Child**_

_**Music: Blood On My Hands - Hans Zimmer And James Newton Howard**_

The Commissioner just looked at her, both confused and worried for her overall welfare.

He wasn't quite sure whether to class the girl as just worthy of psychiatric treatment, or just plain insane.

The two were currently sitting in a tiny interrogation room, roughly three meters by two, but then again, this room wasn't exactly used for containing criminals, but to merely converse.

The lighting was dim and cheap, in fact it was so cheap, it seemed to give off a nauseating smell.

That said, it was bright enough to illuminate the granite tiled-floor, along with the stainless steel chairs, wooden desk (featuring scribbles from top to bottom) and the bottom-half of mirrored walls, which, the girl supposed, many officers would be sitting behind.

The man's index finger delicately landed on the top of a sheet of A4, slowly sliding down, carefully examining every table on the sheet, "NAME", "AGE", "SEX", "DESC."

Not drawing any attention to herself, she glanced at his eyes, hidden behind sleek glasses, unable to tell where he was looking because all she could see was the sheet's reflection.

'Well that just failed' she thought to herself, she needed to figure out what he was going to ask her, she wanted time to prepare, instead of giving him a lecture on how she stole something once like the last question.

"Oh, please excuse me, I seem to have missed some important"

He sighed, but gave a brief warm smile; it was blatant that he was tired, he didn't keep it hidden well.

"It's okay, sir" she mewed, smiling.

'What? This isn't you? What the hell are you doing?'

'Shh...if we act like this...he'll let us off. You don't find any cheery, teenagers in here, right?'

'Ahh...Touche'

One thing the teen had unfortunately grown use with, her undying conscience that always urged her to do the wrong, but when she decided against what path it chose...

She ended up doing something ten times worse.

"Miss?"

The girl shook her head breaking her from her state of mind.

"Sorry, what was your question again, sir?"

He coughed slightly, alerting the guards on the outside that she wasn't the usual patient.

"Name?",

His voice became more husky and deeper than before, she needed to be more on the ball to make him fall like a domino.

"Jaxx...at least that's what they called me by in the slums...in my school I just got called Emo Kid, so I can't really remember my old name"

She spoke softly, especially when she said 'Emo Kid', to try and emphasize the fact that she was having a hard time.

He looked at her from behind his glasses briefly, she would need quite an act to fool this cop she was aware, but she was quite use to fooling people.

She noted at how fast he could write beautifully in such a short amount of time...

"Age, ma'am"

"Uhrmm...", she looked around, trying to recollect her memory...

'Damn! Why can't I remember? It was clear as day?'

She rubbed the back of her neck, growing clammier every minute.

"Well...you have to understand, I've been living alone in the slums for years so I can't be sure, but I think it's thirteen"

He frowned a bit from confusion, before giving an understanding grin, or a grin of re-assurance, she wasn't quite sure at the time.

A good few hours went by, as the wrecked, tired commissioner continued to carry on through the questions, she kept the innocent smile all the way through.

But, if she was honest, she gave lots of respect to her elders, she done it more out of manners than to deceive, but that again was part of it.

More pots of coffee got clunked on the metallic worktop as time slowly ticked away on the burgundy clock just above his head.

As the minutes flew by, their voices grew more raspy, both from the lack of sleep and because there was so much discussion.

"We have one last query, Miss"

He motioned her to sit back down with his left hand, she sighed a little, but done as she was told without question.

"What question may that be, Commissioner?"

She chirped, awaiting his response.

He flicked through various sheets and files, shuffling them about, as though he was looking for something.

"Ah here it is...one of the officers reports that you also have a mutation...along with a partnership with..."

His mustache shook a little, as his pupils widened, looking at the seemly innocent girl than the sheet.

She rocked her head gently to the side, anxious and waiting for his statement, well, he couldn't tell if she was anxious due to not seeing one eye because of the 'emo kid' hair, but he just had instinct.

"It says here you've partnered with the notorious Agent Of Chaos?"

She placed her elbow on the table, before resting her head atop the hand, she looked around the dimly lit room, trying to remember still.

"Is he foreknown for anymore names?"

Jaxx could see the beads of sweat dribbling down his brow, something was clearly bothering him.

"Well..."

Even the cup was shaking in his hand, coffee nearly gushing out the rim.

"More commonly known for, The Joker?"

He almost seemed to whisper, but her expression didn't even barely change.


	3. So Long To Sanity

_**Chapter 3: So Long To Sanity **_

_**Music: Follow Me Down - 3OH!3 feat. Neon Hitch**_

Her hand slid from her chin, and onto the steel table, drumming her fingers in pattern, her nails were but stumps, not therefore giving that satisfying 'click' noise.

"Well...I think I can remember him..green hair...sadistic persona...bloodied, red grin right?"

She asked, oh it was fun to see the Commissioner shudder, given the fact that she talked so commonly of the Joker.

Most children of her age would cower and begin to cry upon hearing his name, let alone considered being his 'partner'.

Oh but she adored the man, but she was crossing the thin line between adoration and worship.

"I've had the time to time conversations with him...nothing of dramatics but I'll still give you all the information?"

Before Jaxx could even finish her sentence he was nodding frantically, scrawling about the table to blindly look for his pen.

"Well"

She began, the guards outside the room sighed in agony, this was one long night, even if they were getting the scoop on the criminal everyone knew, but knew nothing about.

"As usual, I was in my little domain, which is in the ventilation rooms beneath your feet.

Usually, yes, they are just tunnels, but if you look hard enough, there are areas about this big to stay in"

The child gestured roughly with her rugged, outstretched arms.

"...Anyway, getting off topic.

I often read the papers, when they would write 'Freak Clown' or something along those lines...

Even when I read about Killer Croc or The Scarecrow...

I felt, as stupid as you might think this seems, sympathy...

Most of them wish to hurt others in their later lives to take revenge on what others have done to them.

Trust me, I know what it's like; I got bullied in school for my appearance be it my emo style hair, my psychotic parents or...

some other things that I will show you if you so wish...

I know how insane it can leave you...

It makes you want to kill anyone that so much as speaks your name in a comical manner.

I keep meeting the Joker frequently anyway, out of chance, or he's doing this purposefully, it didn't seem to make a lot of difference to me none the less.

I could hear his malicious laughter echoing through the vents, followed by some loud bangs and thuds.

I'm sure you know well enough as I, you being a father and all, that teens and kids alike are exceedingly curious, I couldn't help but figure out whom it was.

I padded along the vents carefully, trying to be stealthy as not to attract the attention of the mysterious being who possessed the uncommon, sadistic-like laughter.

When I eventually hit a dead-end, it was thankfully split-barred, giving me a good view of the situation.

It was almost beyond believing for me, I was a crummy kid from the slums, no name, no age, no family; I existed, that was it, no purpose, nothing.

But for me to witness the epitome of 'hero' and 'villain' fighting one another right before me...

It was like my life suddenly grew meaning, just like that. 'The Caped Crusader' or 'Dark Knight' as you called him was doing the usual, beating Joker's goons to a pulp, before finally giving the Joker a good seeing to.

His cronies lay on the floor, grasping their scalps tightly with pain, whining and winging in agony; as their boss could but shake his head in disgrace.

After about...roughly three seconds or so of pitying his men, a hand clutched the jester tightly, or so it appeared, around his scrawny, white neck.

I watched intently as the clown got brought up from his leather, black moccasins; my body was trembling out of excitement, I didn't want this specter to end.

The Joker shown no fear or desire to escape his grasp, in fact he continued to laugh, laugh at the Batman's aggravated snarl.

His mouth closed into an upturned grin, sneering at the man growling below him, taunting him in a way.  
I waited...

And waited...

The two just seemed to eye each other out for quite some time...

Before the jester's maroon eyes locked onto me, shuffling in the vent; as soon as those emotionless maroon orbs swung my way, I knew I wouldn't come out intact.

He stared with sheer intensity, his scarred mouth opened with a grin, yellow teeth with unhygienic and plaque written everywhere.

I tried to move, but my body wouldn't let me, part of my mind wanted to assist the Joker, yet what if he was the type that wanted the fight to themselves for the fun?

He was still staring into my terrified, shrunken, worn-out, light-silver pupils, while I was still deciphering what to do, where to go.

I glanced around the vent, anyway to get out of his line of sight, if I went back the way I came, he'd surely find my place of residence...

"I SAID WHERE IS HE?"

That loud, deep, bellow erupting from the Batman's chest was the kick-start into reality, and the perfect distraction from the Joker.

I had no idea what the two were arguing or fighting over, only that I needed to get out of there as soon as humanely possible.

My eyes darted around the space, a breeze quickly brushed against my neck, and, as pure instinct, I thrashed against the roof of the vent, thinking of it as an escape route.

I don't even know how I clambered up that vertical vent, it must have been one of those boost of strength survival things...

I don't know...

But it all merged to a blur...

Next thing I knew, I was on the roof of a small building, judging by the tiny, worn-out, wooden crates scattered on the roof, a grocery store, panting heavily.

On hands and knees, I tryed to pace my exceedingly fast breathing, from gasps, to sighs to deep exha-

'BANG!'

The crows shot up in the air, wings slapping together like raw leather, cawing loudly as they followed one another above the building tops.

Without thinking of any consequence, I picked myself up frantically and ran to the edge, almost plundering off the edge to get a better view of the situation. Where my boots had skidded at the edge, miniature pebbles and rocks fell with an almighty clunk at the bottom, clearly making the two below aware of my presence.

I couldn't believe how close I was to fame...Both 'The Caped Crusader' and 'The Agent Of Chaos' were being interrupted by gunshots of policemen, of which the two weren't exactly, 'BFFL's' with...

As the man garbed in black from pointy, synthetic ear to leather-booted toe glanced around at the policemen that began to surround him, the Joker swiftly kicked the off-guard Batman in the chest with the sole of his moccasins, lined with razor blades that could easily sink into human flesh...

That much was certain.

He seemed to have a certain knack of finding weak-points in his armor, it was blatant he'd had some experience...

Soon as that metallic blade sank into his jumpsuit...

The flamboyantly colored jester ran, and when I say ran, I mean sprinted.  
Somehow his speed seemed to be faster than the silver bullets that were flying at him; I don't even know why I followed suit, let alone how I managed to keep to his speed when the officers struggled to; I was athletic by no means...

Possibly because these streets were all I knew, I had the homeland advantage.

There was some sort of adrenaline rush that gave me the desire to follow him, that kept me motivated to stay with this peculiar man as much as possible.

I glanced back at the Batman, closely followed by the mounted police and S.W.A.T teams bolting through the small alleyway, trampling the poultry that were formerly wandering around peacefully.

I could hear myself laughing, I didn't even know why, but I was actually laughing; the thrill of the chase?

I don't know, but it seemed that the Joker was having a jolly good time laughing too.

He howled with hysteria, throwing his arms in the air, knocking all the crates onto the floor with a loud 'crash'.

He's intelligent, I'll give him that, he was having fun making a mess of the alley, but, at the same time, he blocked the path for the mounted police, and some more unfit officers.

I kept following him, through turns and curves, train stations and into Gotham City, before he was finally satisfied that he'd lost the hunters. 

He keeled over, with laughter or exhaustion I wasn't quite sure, nonetheless, I slowly crept down from the roof, onto a wooden-conservatory then an old-yellow grit pit, then the ground.

The sound of the tanned leather boots slapping against the damp, muddy floor brought his attention onto me, shuddering in fear of the clown.

He didn't arise from his crippled position, but idly swung his head to get a good view. What was there to fear if you were fear itself?

I was shaking, possibly excitement?

I didn't know for sure.

Those deep, yet emotionless maroon eyes of his widened, as he rose into a stand, still slouched a little albeit, but I had to give him credit for trying.

"Ahh...so you're that thief I seen the other day?"

He cackled a little, those scarred lips of his upturned, into a maniacal grin.

I fell to one knee, I don't even know why!

It was like my body was acting of it's own accord.

"Yes, sir; I steal to get by, although I have no intent of hurting anyone mentally nor physically"

I replied.

He was taken back slightly, in the formal manner of which I chose to address him, when he spoke so casually in return to me.

"Haha. I can only but expect the good manners! You should be thankful I was looking for the guy chasing you anyway, I was paid to kill him, saving your ass was just a bonus"

He laughed slightly before edging forth.

I was still on one knee as he walked to me, my head facing the floor, I feared that if I look at his eyes...

I'd collapse.

He waddled past, ruffling my hair into a mess before chirping,.

"See ya around, kid"

And that was that...since then I've been trying to repay him, Commissioner, even if it costs me my life"


	4. The Little Wolf Girl

_**Chapter 4: The Little Wolf Girl**_

_**Music: Will Of The Heart - Sagisu Shiro**_

Gordon, his rusted name tag read, was busy scribbling down all this vital information on her identity sheet; while Jaxx was sipping her coffee, remembering stories as in detail as you could was definitely hard work she needed to refrain from taking part in again.

Commissioner 'Gordon' raised his head slowly, as the rim of his Biro would tap on the desk, creating minuscule blobs of black ink on the paper.

He raised his right hand, smoothly pushing his glasses up with his outstretched index finger.

"The final box, Miss Jaxx...the query about the mutations?"

His voice became much more cool, clearly he was pleased that he didn't have to converse about the Joker any longer.

The emo-like girl looked at Gordon with a sense of nervousness...

"C-can...can I stand up?"

She mumbled,he was just able to distinguish what she was saying.

He nodded softly, trying to calm the girl as much as possible, he could see how her legs were wobbling slightly as she rose from the steel chair.

She slid her hands up the back of her cheap, black shirt reaching for something, of what, Gordon did not know...

Until it slowly swished from behind her back, curling in opposite directions...

A blur of black and gray...

"So uh..."  
The Commissioner gulped, pulling at the collar of his shirt.

"How long have you had the uhm...canine...like...tail?"

She could hear the guards outside cussing in amazement, as though they thought she was deaf or something.

All the memories rushed back to her, getting bullied because of the tail, her parents homicidal laughter as they looked upon their Frankenstein of a child, she could feel tears pricking in the corners of her eyes.

"I've had this since...

My sixth birthday I think...

My parents were scientists...

Warped scientists...

Any poor creature that entered our house soon became massacred and sewn onto another life form...

Neither me, nor the poor wolf knew what hit us...

As for the colors and patterns?

My parents had degrees in art, so they decided to check whether they were still rusty...

I'll let you judge that"

Gordon's eyes were glazed over with a fear, a fear of what modern day civilization had become, "I usually hide the tail behind my back, and if anyone asks, I say it's a tumor or something. I'm aware that after seeing characters such as Killer Croc, you'll think I'm over-reacting but...you know"

For the happy, calm, little girl before to turn into a depressed, scarred individual...

It was awful...

He smiled warmly to raise her spirits, sooner than later receiving a smile back, tear-filled, albeit, but it still cheered her up.

She slumped back on the chair, as he was sliding the notes into a plastic folder.

"Oh-and..."

Gordon stopped in his tracks.

"Anything else I should know?"

She shuffled back and forth on the chair in a restless manner.  
"When I get embarrassed...or aroused"

She seemed to mumble the last part as her cheeks grew pink.

"I uhh...get...fluffy...wolfy...ears..."

As peculiar as this sounded it was true.

"See, I was meant to get them permanently, but they gave me the wrong serum and problems escalated...

It's something to do with your brain receptors or something..."

He looked a little confused, but nonetheless, pulled the sheets out of the wallet and quickly scribbled down some notes in a box.

As he gently sat the folder upright in his briefcase, he glanced at his watch, then at Jaxx, then back at the watch.

"So...uhmn..."

He sighed, ripped off his glasses and ran his hands through his hair restlessly.

"What are we gonna do with you..."


	5. You Certainly Aren't The Usual

_**Chapter 5: You Certainly Aren't The Usual...**_

_**Music: (None as of yet :3)**_

She had no fear of being imprisoned for a while, it'd be an extra-bonus if she didn't have to leave her cell; the girl disliked being social with people she didn't know.

The Commissioner sank his hand into his pocket gradually, and pulled out a small piece of fabric, before lightly rubbing his glasses.

"I can't exactly leave you in here, you're sadistic and psychological problems would only escalate...but then if I left you on the street, you'd only contract illnesses, and you're a nice girl"

She smiled lightly at his last comment, glad that she made an impression.

"I could stay here, I mean, it's unfair that I get out of stealing just because I'm a poor kid on the slums"

_'Okay, now you really are ticking me o-'_

_'Shh...if we do spend time in here, not only will we get to see some of Gotham's most wanted, but Mr. Police officer here, he'll feel guilty taking us here in the first place, and won't take us back...at least not for another few years...also...do you recall what Joker told us in the alley? We were to meet him here, tonight..with his little...surprise'_

_'Yeah...I guess...no, I hope your right..let's just hope Joker doesn't end up killing us all...you know he's legitimately insane'_

_'Chill...Chill'_

Gordon done a double-take, was she for real?

"Well...we could keep you in here for one night, that's it though. We don't want women in here, let alone kids"

She nodded eagerly at his suggestion, finally, she could meet-up again with those she idolized...

That's right, again, the child, although for some reason it wasn't asked, had been meeting frequently with some of the most notorious criminals in Gotham.

Truth was, both those that lived in the slums and the criminals were one family, the more Jaxx thought about that, the more it became clear why Joker saved her.

They helped one another when in their worst state, albeit, some criminals chose to live in the sort of 'every man for himself' style, but most that said that would eventually get cornered then plead for help, with no success.

Gordon leaned over the table, breaking her line of thought, and gently clacked some shackles around her wrists, she didn't exactly take too kindly to the thoughts running through her unclean mind.

He twiddled some gears on the chains, to change how far a distance the hands were from one another, she noticed how gentle and careful he was, only but imagining how much of a nice father he must be.

"That should be...just right...correct me if I'm wrong though, I've never worked with someone your age".

He returned to his chair, packing his briefcase quickly before standing, checking he'd left nothing lying around.

Checking his footing first, he stood up gracefully, brushing the dirt from his suit, finally motioning Jaxx to follow him.

With no feeling of remorse or regret, she cheerily followed, now she really did intrigue Gordon's curiosity, what benefit could she have in coming here? Was she sane?

"What's wrong sir? You look suspicious"

She tilted her head to left, giving a radiating sense of confusion.

The commissioner could but moan heavily at her line as he reached for the metal doorknob.

"I have a good mind to be suspicious"

He turned to her briskly as the door slammed open.

"Your thirteen. Your a female. You haven't been to school long yet have the manners of a saint. Your sense of judgment and peace is beyond excellent...and you want to go to Arkham Asylum?"

She nodded thoroughly.  
"If I play my cards right, I won't get the chance to come here again...it'll help with the..."

She rubbed her neck hiding her embarrassment.

"Job I wanna do...I've always wanna do psychology..."

He looked at her head hanging from her shoulders, she had dreams, hopes...

Even though she didn't have anywhere near enough qualifications...

She still believed...

She was still capable of that...

He sighed deeply with remorse.

"Sorry for raising my voice...long night, you know?"


	6. WeLcOmE tO tHe MaDhOuSe!

_**Chapter 6: WeLcOmE tO tHe MaDhOuSe!**_

_**Music: Introduce A Little Anarchy - Hans Zimmer And James Newton Howard**_

Peacefully, she followed the Commissioner, down corridors with cussing prisoners, up stairs covered in police tape, along lobbies with officers sipping tea...

Finally they stood before an old, metal, bolted door.

"Welcome to the intensive treatment, kid"

He unsheathed his pistol as the door slowly opened, this made it all so blatant why he didn't want women or children in here.

Oh, but as soon as the door opened, the contrast in atmosphere smacked her in the face; the bloodcurdling screams from the higher levels literally bursting the eardrums, the stench of smoke and fire burning the insides of your nose, the sight of men hacking each other to pieces with meat cleavers, the sheer heat that radiated from so many men being packed in one small space, even though they were in separate cells, they were still close enough to touch and claw at one another...

Oh it gave the young girl refreshing shivers...

It was something different, a change, none of that:

"Let's all be happy and we'll get married and we'll have four kids and we'll live in a house on happy street lane and all will be well"

Rubbish...

This was the origin of nightmares, fears...

Where mere boys turned to fearless, angry men...

It was rumored that when you entered Arkham...

You'd come out witnessing nothing more devastating...

in other words, if Arkham Asylum wasn't in your nightmares, you must be a lucky guy to dream every night.

Jaxx always had a fascination with brute strength, something she wanted to obtain, rather than be an agile, graceful woman...

She figured that to gain such power, she'd have to experience everything challenging...

Which included staying in this hell of an asylum, and learning the way of a criminal.

Soon as Jaxx innocently walked in behind the cautious Commissioner, who was swinging his gun around, the violence seemed to die down, and it grew painfully quiet.

She was aware that it must have been awkward for the inmates to have a kid in the premises, but they all whispered to one another behind their palms...

She didn't quite know what, all she could understand was mumbling.

The child was finding it difficult not to fall over Gordon's feet, he was swinging around so much in a circular motion with his gun, he almost smacked her in the face a few dozen times.

Jaxx found it difficult not to snicker at how blatantly dumb he looked, at least the inmates could holler to their hearts content, it would make no change to them, most of them were getting life sentences anyway.

He walked to the end of the corridor still performing the action until he came to a small, dingy, damp cell...

Well, it did look better than the other cells, but it sure wasn't luxury.

He whammed the keys into the lock, still glancing around to make sure the prisoners were up to nothing.

As the metal door squeaked open, practically all the inmates moaned at the exceedingly high pitched noise.

"Here, we'll get you out this time tomorrow...we're not gonna give you the orange suit, seen as though you're not a long-term prisoner"

As the gate slammed tightly shut, Gordon quickly ran back to the exit, leaving her alone amongst the squabbling inmates.

"Haha, well someone does live up to their word"

A hoarse voice seemed to echo, silencing everyone else in the prison block.


	7. I Did Say I'd Die For You, M'Lord

_**Chapter 7: I Did Say, I'd Die For You, M'Lord**_

_**Music: **_

As the echo died out into the tense atmosphere, a harsh, clicking sounded from opposite Jaxx's cell.

She immediately stood up and wrapped her bruised, battered hands around the steel cage she was imprisoned in, if this was who she thought it was, how alert she was feeling would only be natural.

The noise came from a chamber across from her, it was almost completely covered in shadow, even the rats went out of their way to avoid trespassing through it...

Good reason too, there were all sorts of rodent carcass and bones strewn along there...

But, in particular, she was fixated on the drops of rainwater that fell through the cell, and splatted on the decaying, mouse-like skull every so often.

As the clicks became more frequent, it was evident that they were from footwear, simply by the pattern in which they occurred; but whom it was...

That was the question she wish she knew the answer to.

As soon as the beginning of the strangers trousers came into the light, she new exactly who it was, and her fear was well placed.

"Why so serious?"

...His trademark quote, the more she thought about it, it was a pretty appropriate time to use it.

She could only see the Joker up to his waist, not sure of what expression he currently had plastered on that clown-like face.

Jaxx had a deep adoration and amount of respect for this man, yet it made her terrified to be within his range; yet, strangely enough, she was more terrified of making a bad impression than in fear of him killing her.

Beads of sweat dribbled from her forehead, all the eyes in the prison block were locked on both her and the Joker.

Unlike before, she didn't feel the need to kneel, but merely to nod in respects, before glancing around checking for no guards.

"I've delivered the _'present'_, m'lord"

Still, the way in which she addressed him put most of the inmates to shame, even though majority of them were all mass murderers and criminals, not _one _of them had succeeded Joker, and, until then, you needed to pay respects to the 'Top Dog', treating him as God, nothing but.

She was still trying to decipher his emotion, she couldn't exactly go off much from his voice, he was in a constant monotone; and there was barely any light in this place, the bulbs were oblitereated and it was either early in the morning or awfully late at night...

Did _not _help very much at all.

The clacks began again, he was edging closer, as dark as it was in the 'Intensive Treatment Wing' where she was placed, she continued to try and strain her eyes as far as seeing his face, which was a good few meters away.

When he finally stopped, so did the moon, peeking through the dark, murky clouds, shining through the bars of the windows, and finally onto the jester's grin.

"You just need ta click it, kid. Everyone else, duck into fetal position pronto, it's one hell of a bomb!"

He shouted to the other prisoners, hand gesturing while he spoke.

"Jaxx, just toss it into there..."

Joker then pointed to an empty prison block, all the rooms were empty on that side because the bars were deteriorating and becoming rusty, clearly nothing to keep a homicidal maniac in for years...

"But _do _remember to pull the ring first..."

He purred, as Jaxx swung her head around, she was in a perfect line of sight for a headshot, as his pistol stared her in the eyes.

"Or I might have to kill ya, m'dear"

She, with brief hestitation, took her eyes from the intimidating weapon and onto the dormant, light-weight bomb.

Jaxx couldn't believe how something so harmless-looking could be the destruction to thousands upon thousands of lives.

She twirled the object between her fingers, admiring the smiley faces Joker spray-painted around it, his trademark sign...

But then again, now that she thought about it, he did get a degree in ar-

"CHUCK THE GOD DAMNED BOMB, CHILD!"

As his words boomed into her eardrums, quite literally bursting them, she immediatly ripped the silver ring out and threw it into the cell; the girl was completely unaware of quite what the explosive was capable of...

She watched the device become airbourne, as some numbers appeared on it's LED display, before it finally clunked on the hard, stone-tiled floor; scaring whatever little rodents lived in there out into the other ground cells, _much _to the pleasure of the other inmates, she was sure.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING JAXX? DUC-"

Silence.


	8. Leaving Life With A Bang

_**Chapter 8: Leaving Life With A Bang  
Music: And I Thought My Jokes Were Bad - Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard  
**_  
"WE'RE FREE!"

"NEVER MIND THAT, RUN YOU IDIOT!"

The prisoners shouted in near hysterics, the cheerful voices of the in mates as they jumped over the rubble echoed through the burning building.

They all wore amber bodysuits, as prisoners did, yet even so, they were so covered with debreis, dirt and damp that they were almost _completely _black from head-to-toe.

Hundreds upon hundreds of men sprinted through the newly-blown hole; piling atop one another recklessly, laughing at the thought of escaping and bringing hell to those that put them there.

Sweat, the cells stank of it, _this _was the day that was rumored to come around, _this _was what they were waiting for, _this_, was what they had longed for; the sweat dripped out of them the second they thought of escaping.

In the middle of the fray, lying amidst all the chains, walls and railings, was petite Jaxx body, motionless, and, more importantly, lifeless.

As more, and more men jumped over Jaxx's unconscious body, it was only natural that some would fall or kick her once, well, a few dozen times.

With every foot that pummeled into her soft, plush skin, she'd twitch ever so slightly, before returning to her state.

Blood slightly plopped from the corner of her mouth, creating a small burgundy pool on the floor, not that she noticed at all.

When the explosive had blew, she was completely exposed, and in the most vunerable position; so it was only natural that she was rendered unconscious.

Never mind unconscious, she was on the brink of bleeding to death.

"Hey! Kid!"

A warm, firm hand grasped her bicep, shaking her thoroughly to awake her, until her eyes flickered slowly, adjusting gradually.

Everything was a complete blur, only able to see shapes and shadows.

_'Wh...what...?'_

It was the sort of sound you could hear when your head was beneath water, noises far and few between, completely muffled.

During the moment of silence she spent, staring at the shape before her, a sharp, steel-capped boot dug into her ribs from one of the large, bulky prisoners.

"AHH"

Her eyes widened as her pupils shrank, more in shock from what was going on more so than the pain; the night prior she was sleeping comfy in her little vents beneath the city.

"C'mon!"

She didn't even register who it was that was helping her, in fact everything was just a blur of vibrant colors, amber's of the blaring fire, deep blue from the city bordering the asylum and the police torches flashing through the barricaded door; regardless, Jaxx picked herself up as fast as her body would allow her, and stumbled to the nearest opening.

Still hyperventilating, she watched the men and occasional women clamber down the rocks and onto the bay of the asylum, jumping onto boats which Joker's goons had jacked from the Gotham docks.

Jaxx was so mesmerized by the sights and the sounds; she was completely out of it when her foot became caught in the depths of rubble.

Her petite body slapped against the hard floor, creating a harsh cracking sound…

…this was _not _good.

The stranger who was helping her quickly dove down to assist, clutching her arm, getting her out of here first was more important than tending to wounds.

"Move"

She mumbled.

The being became a bit hesitant at this, "W-what?"

"RUN"

She shouted, her voice becoming hoarser.

"…why?..-"

"JUST DO IT, I DIDN'T GET MY SORRY ASS INTO JAIL FOR NOTHING, I CAME TO GET THE UNDESERVING CRIMINALS OUT"

As she rose her head, eyes tearing from pain, and pupils dilated from fear, her eyes could but make-out the figure.

The more seconds ticked by, the more she noticed some key factors.

Tall, pronounced cheek bones, glasses, handsome, youthful…

"I'm not exactly leaving without you, if not for my own sense of guilt"

"Hey, I don't know you, and I appreciate your concern, but GO"

"I said I'm no-"

"SCOUT THE AREA, CAPTURE ANY REMAINING PRISONERS!"

An array of voices boomed from the back of the room, rudely interrupting the gentleman, chorused with barks of rabid hounds.

"…riot police…if you don't move, I swear I'll get you"

Jaxx smirked, it was kind of funny to see him scared because he seemed so familiar…he reminded her of _someone…_

The gentleman who was assisting her hesitated, like a deer in the headlights, staring straight at the stampede of canine bounding towards them.

"Argh"

He yelped, as his soft, supple skin was brutally punctured.

Though not exactly the most graceful method of halting transfiction, it done the trick sure enough.

Hastily but dignified, he stood, looking once more into Jaxx's eyes for acknowledgement, before darting over the piled rubble. 

As he made his way into the distance, the back of his uniform blaring, Jaxx read the bold text of his name, for future reference.

Which was when she was melded over with feelings of depression, anxiety and regret.

"C...Cr...CRANE?" 


End file.
